International Day for elimination of Violence against Women

International day for elimination of violence against women is celebrated on 25th November every year with an aim to raise awareness for violence against women.

On November 25, 1960, three sisters, Patria Mercedes Mirabal, Maria Argentina Minerva Mirabal and Antonia Maria Teresa Mirabal, were assassinated in the Dominican Republic on the orders of the Dominican ruler Rafael Trujillo. The Mirabel sisters fought hard to end Trujillo’s dictatorship. Activists on women’s rights have observed a day against violence on the anniversary of the deaths of these three women since 1981.

On December 17, 1999, November 25 was designated as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women by the UN General Assembly.